Just the mere mention of the name Bentley conjures up images of class, wealth, and unlimited luxury. The 2006 Bentley Arnage R we tested, with coachwork by the famed house of Mulliner, represented just one of four Bentley model lines now available. Besides the Arnage R we drove, Bentley's Arnage T has more of an emphasis on performance.
Our test Arnage R was powered by a 400 horsepower version of Bentley's 6.75-liter twin turbo V8 that also offers a generous 616 foot-pounds of torque. And as with any Bentley, interior space in all three models is ample.
Bentley Arnage models come with stability control, traction control, side and head airbags for front and rear passengers, front and rear parking sensors, four wheel ABS, an engine immobilizer, and child safety-seat anchors.
But the true Bentley experience is in the driving, and the Bentley Arnage is as serene and sedate as any automobile on wheels. The incredible torque allows the Bentley to accelerate and cruise with stunning agility for a car of this mass and size, and the cornering prowess of the Arnage, particularly the Arnage T, is deceptively sharp, exceeding the handling abilities of many smaller and lighter automobiles.
Though mileage in a car of this class is usually an afterthought, for the record, the Bentley Arnage is rated 10 miles per gallon city and 19 miles per gallon highway by the EPA.
The base price of a 2006 Bentley Arnage R is $234,000. There is a comprehensive list of options which make the Bentley as individualized as the customer would like, and many of the options come with premium price tags. For instance, just the optional audio/visual entertainment system, which includes a DVD player and two 12" monitors, runs close to $60,000.
But the price of admission to a new Bentley has never been an issue for the ruling classes. The 2006 Bentley Arnage is a car which symbolizes the finer things in life, because in reality, that's exactly what it is.